Poultry-crate.



N. M. PATTON.

POULTRY CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.24, 1912.

1,083,729. Patented July 23,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N. M. PATTON.

I POULTRY CRATE. ArrLioA'noN FILED FEB.24. 1912.

1,033,729. Patented July 23, 1912.

Z SHEBTSSHEET 2.

I To all whom it may concern:

NOAH M. PATTON, OI RINARID MILLS, OHIO.

roUL'rRY-cRA'rE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pgttented uly 23, 1912.

i Application filed February 24, 1912. Serial No. 679,666.

Be it known that I, NOAH M. PATTON, a citizen. of the United States, residing at Rinard Mills, in the county of Monroe and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Poultry-Crates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to crates and more particularly to poultry crates.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple and'eflicient device of this character which, when not in use, may be folded into small compass so as to occupy little space inshipment or storage.

- vide a folding crate having means to etlectually lock the sides and tops together when in open position and to lock the parts in closed position when the crate is-folded.

Further objects of this invention will appear as the following specific description is read in connection with the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this application, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crate shown in open position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the crate in closed position. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the crate when closed. Fig. 4' is a transverse section with the crate in asim'ilar position. Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the top bar of the end member. Fig. 7 is a detail horizontal view on the line 77 of Fig. 1..

v In the specific embodiment of the invention, as illustrated herein, the crate comprises side, end, bottom and top members constructed of angle iron and covered with wire fabric of any suitable mesh. The bottom member 1 is provided upon its ends with a pair of ears 2 arranged adjacent the sides thereof and hinged to theears are the side members 3 which are adapted to fold down upon the bottom member, as shown in Fig. 2. Hinged to the upper or inner edge 0 the side members are the top members 4 which when extended practically meet in the'center of the crate and are secured in such position, as will be hereinafter described. The end members are pivoted or hinged to the bottom member adjacent the end thereof and are adapted to fold within the side flanges of the bottom member,as shown. The upper bars of the end.

members are provided with lateral notches 6 which are adapted to be engagedby the vertical flange 7 of the top members, the top members being cut away, as shown at 8, to receive the top bar of the end members so that said top bar may lie within the end piecesof the top members, as shown. I

Pivotally connected to the end pieces of thetop members adjacent their free edges, are spring catch members 9 which when the top members are forced down upon the end members, will engage beneath the top bars thereofand prevent the top members from being raised. When the crate is folded, these spring members 9 are disengaged from the top bars of the end members and top bars slightly raised to disengage their flanges from the notches and the top bars of the end members, and the end members then folded downwardly on to the bottom. The spring members 9 are then folded within the end pieces of the top members. The top members are then folded so as to lie within the side members and both the top members and the side members are then folded down on to the end members and are held in such posit-ion by spring catches 10 which are broad enough to ,be engaged over both side members at their ends, as shown. The members 9 and 10 are so constructed that when the top members are thrown into engagement with the end members, they will automatically lock these parts together and when the side members are thrown down upon the end members in folding the crate, the catches 10 will automatically lock the parts in closed position. Extending across one of the top members and arranged in separated relation are guiding strips in which a door 11 is slidably mounted. This door permits the ready insertion and removal of chickens from the crate when the same is in open position.

' It will be noticed that the end members are arranged within the angle of the bottom, side and top members, and, therefore,-

notches in the end members. This also pro-- =vents spreading of the top and side members.

Vl'hatlis claimed is I A crate comprising bottom, end, side and top members constructed ,of angle iron bars and covered with wire fabric, said endmem bers being hinged to fold upon the bottom member, said side members being hinged to the bottom member, and said top members being hinged to the side members and adapt-- ed to rest upon the top of the end members when the latter are open, the free edge bars of said end members being slotted and the free edge bars of the top members being cut away to receive the end members, the ,vertical flan e of said free edge bars of the top members eing adapted to enter the slots in the end members, spring locking catches carried by the top members and adapted to coact with the. end members to prevent disengagement of'the flanges With the slots, said top members adapted to fold on the side members, and'sprlng catches carried by the bottom member to lock the side members in 

